Members of a loosely organized crime ring have been sentenced to prison in Sverdlovsk Region for plotting to establish an independent Urals Republic.

In the summer of 2011 police uncovered the so-called “Minin and
Pozharsky People’s Militia,” named after national heroes who
successfully fought against Polish invaders in the 17th
century.

Ring leader Leonid Khabarov, the former head of the military
department of the Urals State Technical University, was convicted
of plotting an armed coup and illegal drugs possession. He was
sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.

According to investigators another member Aleksandr Yermakov,
drafted the plans to create an independent Urals Republic in
Russia’s industrial heartland. He was also responsible for
recruiting new members into the gang.

Following their arrest psychiatrists determined that Yermakov
was insane. He is now undergoing treatment in an asylum.

The court convicted all the members of the group of purchasing
firearms and ‘recruiting members into a terrorist
organization.’

Despite the severity of the charges the group escaped with a
relatively light sentence. Defence lawyers used the fact the ring
leader was declared insane, as well as claiming that the case was
concocted by law enforcement officers for the sake of ‘better
statistics.’